Rameswaram fishermen strike enters third day

The indefinite strike by fishermen here demanding release of 54 of their colleagues arrested by Sri Lankan Navy entered the third day today.
About 800 mechanised boats did not put out to sea for fishing, fishermen association office-bearers said.
Fishermen demanded that the Union Government take necessary steps for the release of the arrested fishermen.
During talks held by Ramanathapuram District Collector K Nandakumar with fishermen associations to end the strike, the representatives of fishermen said they wanted a meeting with Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to discuss the issue.
After the meeting, fishermen leaders N J Bose and N Devadoss said they requested the Collector to make arragements to meet the Chief Minister and the latter agreed for that.

The collector also told the fishermen leaders that the fishermen should not go beyond India's territorial waters.
The fishermen are demanding release of five fishermen arrested in 2011, 19 on March 13 last and 30 others taken into custody last week by the Sri Lankan Navy on the charge of poaching.